Tesco (LON:TSCO) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Tesco's shares crossed above their 200‑day moving average, trading around GBX 480.10 versus the 200‑day MA of GBX 445.88 (intraday high GBX 483.90), a common technical signal investors view as bullish.
• Analyst consensus is a "Moderate Buy" (four Buys, one Hold) with an average target of GBX 465, although several brokers have recently cut price targets—leaving the average target below the current share price.
• Insiders have been buying: two executives bought 11,961 shares each at GBX 418 on Jan 9, and insiders purchased 23,983 shares in the past 90 days, representing 2.04% insider ownership, which can signal management confidence.

Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 445.88 and traded as high as GBX 483.90. Tesco shares last traded at GBX 480.10, with a volume of 18,489,768 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

TSCO has been the topic of a number of research reports. Shore Capital Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Tesco in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Tesco from GBX 500 to GBX 480 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 12th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on Tesco from GBX 450 to GBX 430 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on Tesco from GBX 500 to GBX 490 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of GBX 465.

Tesco Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of £30.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 449.93 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 445.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 138.46, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.60.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Ken Murphy acquired 11,961 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 418 per share, for a total transaction of £49,996.98. Also, insider Imran Nawaz bought 11,961 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 418 per share, for a total transaction of £49,996.98. Over the last ninety days, insiders bought 23,983 shares of company stock worth $10,026,942. Insiders own 2.04% of the company's stock.

About Tesco

Tesco was built to be a champion for customers, serving them every day with affordable, healthy and sustainable food. Our commitment to our customers extends beyond our stores, and into every community we serve – in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. We invest in communities to help them thrive, through supporting schools and children's groups, food banks and other good causes. In challenging times, our purpose has guided every part of the Group. Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day is what we do.

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